Stowage container with breach detection and indication system

ABSTRACT

A stowage container including a barrier such as a door or access panel and a breach detector for monitoring and/or detecting a breach of the barrier. The breach detector includes an indicator assembly having a slot that can be positioned between, and defined by, a front panel and a back panel of the barrier, and an indicator within the slot. The indicator assembly further includes a retainer that maintains the indicator in a first state when the barrier is in a first position (e.g., closed or sealed) and which releases the indicator into a second state when the barrier moves from the first position to a second position (e.g., open or breached). Upon returning the barrier to the first position, the indicator remains in the second state until the indicator reset to the first state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/701,997, filed on Sep. 12, 2017, the entirety of which isincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present teachings relate to the field of aircraft emergency devicesand, more particularly, to a stowage container including a breachdetector that can be used, for example, to store an article such as alife vest under an aircraft seat.

BACKGROUND

Under United States federal regulations, no person may operate anairplane in any overwater operation unless it is equipped with a devicesuch as a life preserver or flotation (hereinafter, “life vest”) foreach occupant. The life vest must be within easy reach of each seatedoccupant and readily removable from the airplane. In passenger aircraft,this requirement is typically satisfied by storing a life vestunderneath each seat.

Each life vest can be stored within an under-seat stowage container.Once the life vest is placed within the stowage container, a door of thestowage container can be closed and fitted with a frangible closure orseal to ensure that the stowage container contents have not been taperedwith or removed, or that any foreign object or material has been placedwithin the stowage container. While the frangible closure should besufficient to easily identify a stowage container that has beenbreached, it must allow easy entry into the stowage container to accessthe contents of the stowage container in case of emergency, but shouldnot be replaceable by unauthorized personnel. Each frangible closure isperiodically inspected by authorized aviation personnel to ensure thatthe stowage container has not been breached. Typically, an inspectorchecks each closure individually which can involve visual inspection aswell as manual contact with the closure to ensure that it has not beenremoved and replaced. Once the frangible closure has been removed, itmust be replaced with an unused seal.

A stowage container closure that allows for a more rapid and simplifiedinspection to detect a stowage container breach would be a welcomeaddition to the art. Further, a closure that mitigated the need tomaintain a supply of replacement closures would be desirable.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects of one or more implementations of thepresent teachings. This summary is not an extensive overview, nor is itintended to identify key or critical elements of the present teachings,nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. Rather, its primarypurpose is merely to present one or more concepts in simplified form asa prelude to the detailed description presented later.

In an implementation, a container assembly includes a barrier defining aslot and further defining a window that opens to the slot, a frame,wherein the barrier is movably attached to the frame such that thebarrier moves between a first position and a second position, and anindicator slidably positioned within the slot. The container assemblyfurther includes a retainer attached to the frame, wherein the retaineris configured to maintain the indicator in a first state within the slotwhen the barrier is in the first position. The retainer is furtherconfigured to release the indicator into a second state when theindicator is in the first state and the barrier moves from the firstposition toward the second position. The second state indicates thebarrier has moved from the first position toward the second position.The container assembly can be configured such that, when released by theretainer, the indicator slides within the slot from the first state,toward the window, and to the second state such that the indicator isvisible through the window. The barrier can include a first edge and asecond edge opposite the first edge. The barrier can be attached to theframe along the first edge of the barrier and the container assembly canbe configured such that the second edge is positioned above the firstedge when the barrier is in the first position during use of thecontainer assembly. Further, the container assembly can be configuredsuch that the second edge is positioned at or below the first edge whenthe barrier is in the second position during use of the containerassembly.

The slot can include a first slot segment extending away from the secondedge toward the first edge and a second slot segment extending away fromthe second edge and toward the first edge, wherein the first slotsegment and the second slot segment intersect at an angle ranging from30° to 174°. The indicator can have a first visibility through thewindow when the indicator is in the first state and a second visibilitythrough the window when the indicator is in the second state, whereinthe first visibility is greater than the second visibility. In animplementation, the indicator is not visible through the window when theindicator is in the first state and the indicator is at least partiallyvisible through the window when the indicator is in the second state.

When the indicator is in the second state, the indicator is configuredto remain in the second state when the barrier moves to closed positionand when the barrier is in the second position until the indicator isreset. The barrier can include a front panel including the window and aback panel, wherein the slot is positioned between the front panel andthe back panel. The retainer can include a magnet and the indicator caninclude a magnetic material. In an implementation, the indicator caninclude an arm that at least partly defines a notch and the retainer caninclude a post attached to the frame. The indicator can hang by the armfrom the post when the indicator is in the first state.

In another implementation, a stowage container includes a breachindicator, a housing defining a stowage area, a barrier movably attachedto the housing such that the barrier moves between a first position anda second position, the barrier defining a slot and further defining awindow that opens to the slot, an indicator slidably positioned withinthe slot, and a retainer attached to the housing. The retainer isconfigured to maintain the indicator in a first state within the slotwhen the barrier is in the first position and, when the barrier movesfrom the first position toward the second position, the indicator slideswithin the slot from the first state, toward the window, and to a secondstate such that the indicator is visible through the window.

The barrier can include a first edge and a second edge opposite thefirst edge, and the barrier can be attached to the housing along thefirst edge of the barrier. The stowage container can be configured suchthat the second edge is positioned above the first edge when the barrieris in the first position during use of the stowage container the secondedge is positioned at or below the first edge when the barrier is in thesecond position during use of the stowage container. The slot caninclude a first slot segment extending away from the second edge towardthe first edge and a second slot segment extending away from the secondedge and toward the first edge, wherein the first slot segment and thesecond slot segment intersect at an angle ranging from 30° to 174°.

In an implementation, the indicator is not visible through the windowwhen the indicator is in the first state and the indicator is at leastpartially visible through the window when the indicator is in the secondstate. When the indicator is in the second state, the indicator can beconfigured to remain in the second state when the barrier is in thefirst position and when the barrier is in the second position until theindicator is reset.

The barrier can include a front panel and a back panel attached to thefront panel, wherein the slot is positioned between the front panel andthe back panel. The front panel and the back panel can be opaque. Theretainer can include a magnet, the indicator can include a magneticmaterial, and the retainer and the indicator can be configured such thatthe indicator is maintained in the first state using a magnetic force.The indicator can include an arm that at least partially defines anotch, the retainer can include a post attached to the housing, and theindicator can hang by the arm from the post when the indicator is in thefirst state. The stowage container can be attached to a seat of anaircraft and can include a life vest within the stowage area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in, and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate implementations of the presentteachings and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the disclosure. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container according to animplementation of the present teachings in a closed and sealedcondition.

FIG. 2 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container according tothe FIG. 1 implementation and in a closed and breached condition.

FIG. 3 is a semi-transparent perspective depiction of a stowagecontainer according to an implementation of the present teachings.

FIG. 4 is a semi-transparent perspective depiction of a stowagecontainer according to another implementation of the present teachings.

FIG. 5 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container in an openposition according to an implementation of the present teachings.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of an indicator assembly in a closed andsealed position according to an implementation of the present teachings.

FIG. 7 is a cross section of the FIG. 6 implementation in a partiallyopen and breached position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective depiction of a row of seats each including anattached stowage container according to an implementation of the presentteachings.

FIG. 9 is a side view of an aircraft that can include one or more seats,where each seat includes an attached stowage container according to animplementation of the present teachings.

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of a stowage container including abarrier and an indicator assembly.

FIG. 11 is a perspective depiction of another implementation of astowage container according to the present teachings.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the FIG. 11 stowage container.

FIG. 13 is a top view of any of the stowage containers of FIG. 11, 19,21, or 23.

FIG. 14 is a right side view of any of the stowage containers of FIG.11, 21, or 23.

FIG. 15 is a left side view of any of the stowage containers of FIG. 11,21, or 23.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of any of the stowage containers of FIG. 11,19, or 23.

FIG. 17 is a perspective depiction of another implementation of astowage container according to the present teachings.

FIG. 18 is a front view of the FIG. 17 stowage container.

FIG. 19 is a perspective depiction of another implementation of astowage container according to the present teachings.

FIG. 20 is a front view of the FIG. 17 stowage container.

FIG. 21 is a perspective depiction of another implementation of astowage container according to the present teachings.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the FIG. 21 stowage container.

FIG. 23 is a perspective depiction of another implementation of astowage container according to the present teachings.

FIG. 24 is a front view of the FIG. 23 stowage container.

FIG. 25 is a front view of a stowage container according to animplementation of the present teachings, where the stowage container canbe attached to another structure.

FIG. 26 is a front view of a seat such as a passenger seat and anattached stowage container in an installed environment according to animplementation of the present teachings.

It should be noted that some details of the figures have been simplifiedand are drawn to facilitate understanding of the present teachingsrather than to maintain strict structural accuracy, detail, and scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary implementations of thepresent teachings, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Generally, the same reference numbers will be used throughoutthe drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

One or more implementations of the present teachings can result in amore rapid and simplified inspection of a stowage container to determinewhether the stowage container has been breached or opened compared tosome prior systems. In an implementation, if the stowage container isopened, an indicator assembly adjusts from a first state (e.g., an armedstate, sealed state, closed state, etc.) that indicates that the stowagecontainer is sealed, to a second state (e.g., an unarmed state, unsealedstate, breached state, open state, etc.) that indicates the stowagecontainer has been breached. It will be appreciated that the descriptivelabels “first state” and “second state” are arbitrary and,alternatively, the first state can indicate an unarmed state, unsealedstate, breached state, open state, etc., and the second state canindicate an armed state, sealed state, closed state, etc. The indicatorassembly thus provides a visual identifier that conveys to an observerwhether the stowage container is sealed or has been breached. When inthe second state, for example, the indicator assembly remains in thesecond state upon closing the door. The indicator assembly can be resetfrom the second state to the first state by authorized personnel. Theindicator assembly of the present teachings does not require a supply ofreplacement closures to be maintained and stored, thereby reducinginventory and ongoing costs.

Various aspects of the present teachings are discussed relative to astowage container having a space for stowage of an item, where thestowage container is secured by a barrier such as a door. In oneimplementation, the stowage container is a life vest stowage containerfor an aircraft and the item is a life vest. It will be understood,however, that the present teachings can be applied to structures for usein fields other than aviation where detection of, or monitoring for,breach of a barrier other than a door, for example an access panel orother barrier that slides, pivots, rotates, or otherwise moves from afirst position (e.g., closed or sealed) toward or into a second position(e.g., open, unsealed, or breached), is desired. Further, the presentteachings can be applied to container structures and containerassemblies other than stowage containers.

For purposes of the present teachings, an indicator assembly that formsa part of the stowage container can include various subassemblies suchas an indicator (i.e., a wafer, chip, token, etc.), a slot defined by abarrier, and a retainer. The indicator is a part of the indicatorassembly and provides a visual cue regarding whether the stowagecontainer has been breached.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective depictions of a stowage container 100according to an exemplary implementation of the present teachings. Thestowage container 100 can include a frame or housing 102 that at leastpartially defines an internal stowage area or stowage compartment 104, abarrier 106 such as a door, a panel, etc., and at least one indicatorassembly 108, where the indicator assembly 108 is at least partiallydefined by, and encased within, the barrier 106. Two separate indicatorassemblies 108 are depicted in the figures for purposes illustration,and container assemblies with only one indicator assembly or more thantwo indicator assemblies, and/or more than one barrier 106, arecontemplated. The barrier 106 can be attached to the housing 102 with amoveable joint 110 such as a hinge that allows the barrier 106 to movebetween a first position (for example, a sealed, locked, or closedposition as depicted in FIG. 1) that does not permit access to thestowage compartment 104 into a second position (for example, anunsealed, unlocked, or open position as depicted in FIG. 5) that permitsaccess to the stowage compartment 104. In the implementation of FIG. 1,the stowage container 100 includes tabs 112 for attachment to anunderside 114 of a passenger seat using, for example, one or morefasteners 116 such as screws or bolts. The stowage container 100 caninclude other optional features such as a support 118 for releasablysecuring a device such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) device(not individually depicted for simplicity) to provide additionalsecurity measures. In addition, the stowage container 100 can includeother structures or features that have not been depicted for simplicity,while various depicted structures and features can be removed ormodified.

FIG. 1 depicts the indicator assembly 108 in a first state which, inthis example, indicates that the stowage container 100 has not beenbreached. In the FIG. 1 depiction, the moveable joint 110 is positionedalong, and attached to, a first edge 120 of the barrier 106 and thehousing 102, wherein a second edge 122 of the barrier 106 is positionedabove the first edge 120. The barrier 106 can be releasably held in theclosed position using one or more known techniques, such as one or moresprings, pins, internal or external latches, etc. Upon moving thebarrier 106 from the closed position toward the open position, thesecond edge 122 can become positioned at or below a level of the firstedge 120 to allow access into the interior of the stowage container 100.Further, when the barrier 106 moves from the closed position toward theopen position, the indicator assembly 108 adjusts from the first statethat indicates the barrier 106 of the stowage container 100 has not beenbreached or opened, to the second position as depicted in FIG. 2 thatindicates the door of the stowage container 100 has been breached oropened. When the barrier 106 moves back toward, and into, to the closedposition, the indicator assembly 108 remains in the second state asdepicted in FIG. 2. In this implementation, in the second state of FIG.2, one or more tokens, chips, wafers, or another indicator 200, whichare not visible when the indicator assembly 108 is in the first state ofFIG. 1, become visible in the second state of FIG. 2.

Various mechanical mechanisms configured to perform as described aboveare contemplated. For example, in the implementation of FIG. 3, thebarrier 106 includes a front panel 300 defining or having an opening orwindow 302 therein, a back panel 304 (which may be visible through thewindow 302 when the indicator assembly 108 is in the first or sealedstate), and a slot 306 between, and defined by, the front panel 300 andthe back panel 304. In the FIG. 3 implementation, the stowage container100 can also include a retainer (i.e., release mechanism or restrictor)308 configured to position and/or maintain the indicator 200 in thefirst state such that the indicator 200 is not visible (or onlyminimally visible) through the window 302 in the front panel 300. Uponmoving the barrier 106 from the closed position toward or into the openposition, the retainer 308 releases the indicator 200, which moves,travels, rolls, drops, pivots, or otherwise traverses through the slot306 to the opening 302, where the indicator 200 becomes visible (or morevisible) from an exterior of the stowage container 100.

In the FIG. 3 implementation, the indicator 200 is held in place using amagnetic force. For example, one of the retainer 308 and the indicator200 (for example, the retainer 308) can be a magnet while the other ofthe retainer 308 and the indicator 200 (for example, the indicator 200)can be a magnetic or ferromagnetic material. The indicator 200 can bereset by an operator from the second state (indicator 200A of FIG. 3) tothe first state (indicator 200B of FIG. 3) using, for example, a magnetto move the indicator 200 from the second state that indicates a breachto the first state that indicates the stowage container is sealed.

FIG. 3 depicts that the slot 306 includes a first slot segment 320extending away from the second edge 122, away from the retainer 308, andtoward the first edge 120. FIG. 3 further depicts that the slot 306includes a second slot segment 322 extending away from the first edge120 and toward the second edge 122. Including the second slot segment322 can prevent the indicator 200 from being reset from the second stateto the first state by slamming or otherwise manipulating the door fromthe open position to the closed position. When the second slot segment322 is used, slamming the door results in the indicator 200 travelinginto the second slot segment 322, then returning to the window 302. Inan implementation, a line that bisects the first slot segment 320 canintersect a line that bisects the second slot segment 322 at an obliqueangle “Θ” (FIG. 3) of from about 30° to about 174°, or from about 60° toabout 140°. With angles outside of these ranges, the slot segments maynot effectively prevent an unauthorized reset of the indicator assemblyupon slamming or otherwise manipulating the barrier 106 from the openposition to the closed position.

In an implementation, the first slot segment 320 can be designed orpatterned to confound, impede, confuse, or otherwise make the resettingof the indicator assembly 108 more difficult or unintuitive withoutknowledge of the design of the stowage container. For example, the firstslot segment 320 can be formed in an angled “S” pattern, or anotherpattern, and the indicator 200 can be a circular shape such that, uponopening the barrier 106, the circular indicator 200 is released from theretainer 308 and rolls along the slot 306 from the first state (e.g., inthe position depicted by indicator 200B) to the second state (e.g., theposition depicted by indicator 200A) under the influence of gravity.However, resetting the indicator 200 from the second state to the firststate requires knowledge of the stowage container 100 design. Thebarrier 106 can be opaque, and thus the pattern of the slot 306 cannotbe identified from either the exterior or the interior of the stowagecontainer 100 from visual inspection. For purposes of illustration, FIG.3 is a semi-transparent perspective depiction to depict the slots 306and slot segments 320, 322, and further illustrates the item 330, suchas a life vest 330, within the stowage container 100.

Another example implementation of a stowage container 400 is depicted inthe perspective views of FIGS. 4-7. FIGS. 4 and 6 depict the barrier ofthe stowage container 400 in a first position, such as a closed orsealed position, while FIGS. 5 and 7 depict the barrier of the stowagecontainer 400 in a second position, such as an open or breachedposition. This example includes a frame or housing 402 that at leastpartially defines a stowage compartment 404, and a barrier 406 such as adoor, a panel, etc., that, in a closed position, provides a barrier toan opening 408 of the stowage container 400 and thus to the stowagecontainer 400 itself. The barrier 106 can be attached to the housing 402using, for example, a moveable joint 409 such as a hinge. The stowagecontainer 400 further includes at least one indicator assembly 410 suchas a breach indicator assembly 410. FIGS. 4 and 5 depict two indicatorassemblies 410, including indicator assembly 410A which is in the sealedstate and indicator assembly 410B which is in the breached state.

As depicted in FIGS. 4-7, particularly in the cross section of FIG. 6and the cross section of FIG. 7, each taken along 6-6 of FIG. 4, eachindicator assembly 410 includes an indicator 412 and a post 414, wherethe post 414 is attached to, or formed as a part of, the housing 402. Inthis implementation, the post 414 provides at least a portion of aretainer configured to releasably hold the indicator 412 in the firststate until the barrier 106 is moved toward the open position. Thebarrier 106 includes a front panel 416 and a back panel 418 thattogether define a slot 720 within the barrier 106. The front panel 416can further define an opening or window 422, through which the backpanel 418 may be visible when the indicator assembly 410 is in the firststate (i.e., the sealed state) of FIG. 6 and through which the indicator412 is visible when the indicator assembly 410 is in the second state(i.e., breached state) of FIG. 7. The indicator 412 includes a hook orarm 424 and a body 426, where the arm 424 extends from the body 426 anddefines a notch 428.

When the stowage container 400 is in the closed position and theindicator assembly 410 is in the first state as depicted in FIGS. 4 and6, the indicator 412 hangs by the arm 424 from the post 414. In thefirst state, the indicator 412 is held within an upper portion of theslot 720 and is not visible, or is only minimally visible, through thewindow 422, and the back panel 418 may be visible through the window422. As the barrier 106 moves from the closed position of FIG. 6 towardthe open position as depicted in FIG. 7, the indicator 412, which isheld within the slot 720 by the front panel 416 and the back panel 418,slides off of the post 414 and drops down toward or to a bottom portionof the slot 720 as depicted in FIG. 7, where the indicator 412 isvisible through the window 422 and the back panel 418 may not be visiblethrough the window 422.

Once the indicator assembly 410 has been triggered from the first stateof FIG. 6 to the second state of FIG. 7, closing the barrier 106 doesnot return the indicator assembly 410 to the first state, but rather theindicator assembly 410 remains in the second state and must be reset tothe first state. In an implementation, the indicator 412 can bemanufactured from a magnetic material.

While FIGS. 1-7 depict exemplary implementations for a stowage containersuch as a life vest stowage container with a breach detection andindication system, it will be appreciated that other implementations arecontemplated. For example, an indicator assembly as described herein, ora similar indicator assembly, can be used with an access panel thatslides vertically, laterally, or obliquely.

FIG. 8 is a perspective depiction of a plurality of seats 800, with aseparate stowage container 802 attached to an underside of each seat800. Each stowage container 802 can include an item such as a life vest(e.g., 330 of FIG. 3) within a stowage compartment. The plurality ofseats 800 can be included as part of a commercial or private aircraft900 (FIG. 9) or another type of vehicle. Non-vehicle uses of a barrierhaving an indicator assembly as a breach detector in accordance with thepresent teachings are also contemplated.

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of a stowage container 1000according to an implementation of the present teachings. The stowagecontainer 1000 includes an indicator assembly 1002, a barrier 1004, anda housing 1006. The housing 1006 defines an interior of the stowagecontainer 1000 that can be used to stow a life vest or other article.The indicator assembly 1002 includes an indicator 1008 that can bepositioned within the barrier 1004. The indicator assembly 1002 furtherincludes a retainer 1010. When the indicator 1008 is in a first state(e.g., an armed state, sealed state, closed state, etc.) that indicatesthat the stowage container is sealed and the barrier 1004 is in a firstposition (e.g., closed), the retainer 1010 maintains the indicator 1008in the first state. Upon moving the barrier 1004 toward a secondposition (e.g., open), the retainer 1010 releases the indicator 1008 toa second state (e.g., an unarmed state, unsealed state, breached state,open state, etc.) that indicates the stowage container 1000 has beenbreached. Upon returning the barrier 1004 to the first position, theindicator 1008 remains in the second state until reset, for example,manually reset, by authorized personnel.

Various implementations of the present teachings will become apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art. For example, while FIG. 1 depicts tabs112 that can be used to connect the stowage container 100 to anunderside 114 of a passenger seat, other attachments are contemplated.FIG. 11 depicts a stowage container 1100 including a pair of brackets1102, with each bracket 1102 forming or defining a concave recess 1104.The brackets 1102 can be placed against, and attached to, a seat portion2500 (FIG. 25) of a seat 2502 such as a passenger seat, for example,using one or more fasteners 2504 such as bolts, rivets, pins, or anotherfastener through one or more holes 1106 defined by the brackets 1102.Additionally, while FIG. 3 depicts the front panel 300 defining orhaving a window 302 of a particular shape (arcuate or semicircular),various other shapes are contemplated. The stowage container 1100 ofFIG. 11 depicts a barrier 1108 defining or having a pair ofcrescent-shaped windows 1110. In FIG. 11, the crescent-shaped windows1110 display mirror symmetry. The crescent shape of the windows 1110 maycontrast with generally horizontal and vertical lines of adjacentstructures and can improve detection of an indicator displayed withinthe window of a breached stowage container 1100.

FIG. 12 depicts a front view of the stowage container 1100 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 depicts a top view of the FIG. 11 stowage container 1100.

FIG. 14 depicts a right side view of the FIG. 11 stowage container 1100.

FIG. 15 depicts a left side view of the FIG. 11 stowage container 1100.

FIG. 16 depicts a bottom view of the FIG. 11 stowage container 1100.

FIG. 17 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container 1700 accordingto another implementation of the present teachings. The stowagecontainer 1700 is manufactured without the optional support 118 that isdescribed above for other implementations, although use of the optionalsupport with the FIG. 17 implementation is contemplated. Further, afront panel 1702 of this implementation includes a pair of hexagonalwindows 1704. The hexagonal shape and relatively large area of thewindows 1704 may mitigate detection of an indicator displayed within thewindow of a breached stowage container 1700.

FIG. 18 is a front view depicting the stowage container 1700 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container 1900 accordingto another implementation of the present teachings. This implementationincludes a barrier 1902 having a pair of windows 1904, where each window1904 wraps around a vertically oriented edge 1906 of the barrier 1902such that the at least one window 1904 is provided on three sides (i.e.,a front side, a left side, and a right side) of the barrier 1902. Whenthe stowage container 1900 is in a breached state, an indicator 1908visible through the window 1904 can be seen from the front of thestowage container 1900 as depicted in the front view of FIG. 20, as wellas from both the left side and the right side of the stowage container1900, thereby increasing visibility and detection of the indicator 1908.

FIG. 21 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container 2100 accordingto another implementation of the present teachings. This implementationincludes a barrier 2102 having a pair of windows 2104, where each window2104 is positioned at and/or near a bottom edge 2106 of the barrier2102. When the stowage container 2100 is in a breached state, anindicator visible through the window 2104 can be seen from a highervantage point relative to the stowage container 1900, for example, by aninspector standing in an aisle of an aircraft, compared to a windowpositioned higher on the barrier. Positioning the windows 2014 low onthe barrier 2102 can reduce the necessity for an inspector to stoop orbend into a low position to view or inspect the window 2104.

FIG. 22 is a front view depicting the stowage container 2100 of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a perspective depiction of a stowage container 2300 accordingto another implementation of the present teachings. A front panel 2302of this implementation includes a pair of square windows 2304. Thesquare shape and relatively large area of the windows 2304 may mitigatedetection of an indicator displayed within the window of a breachedstowage container 2300.

FIG. 24 is a front view depicting the stowage container 2300 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a front view of a passenger seat 2502 having a seat portion2500 to which a stowage container 1100 in accordance with the presentteachings is attached using one or more fasteners 2504 such as bolts,rivets, pins, or another fastener through one or more holes 1106 definedby the brackets 1102, or using another attachment scheme.

FIG. 26 depicts a stowage container 1100 in an installed environmentattached to an underside of a seat 2502 such as a passenger seat of anaircraft 900 (FIG. 9) or other transportation vehicle.

It will be appreciated that a top view of any of the stowage containersof FIG. 11, 19, 21, or 23 may appear similar to the top view of FIG. 13,a right side view of any of the stowage containers of FIG. 11, 21, or 23may appear similar to the right side view of FIG. 14, a left side viewof any of the stowage containers of FIG. 11, 21, or 23 may appearsimilar to the left side view of FIG. 15, and a bottom view of any ofthe stowage containers of FIG. 11, 17, 19, or 23 may appear similar tothe bottom view of FIG. 16.

Various implementations of the present teachings thus provide anindicator assembly that monitors and indicates whether a barrier such asa door or panel has been breached. In a first or armed state, theindicator assembly indicates that the barrier has not been breached.Upon moving the barrier from a first position (such as a closedposition) toward or to a second position (such as an open position), theindicator assembly adjusts from the first state to a second or unarmedstate, which indicates that the barrier has been breached. Uponreturning the barrier back to the closed position, the indicatorassembly remains in the second state until the indicator assembly isreset by authorized personnel. The indicator assembly provides a device,gauge, indicium, or display which, upon visual inspection, indicateswhether the barrier is in a sealed or unopened state, or in an unsealed,opened, or breached state. The indicium can be an indicator that has afirst visibility when the barrier is in an unbreached state and a secondvisibility when the barrier is in a breached state, where the secondvisibility is greater than the first visibility. The indicator assemblyis a mechanical device that requires no electrical power to operate.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forththe broad scope of the present teachings are approximations, thenumerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported asprecisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently containscertain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation foundin their respective testing measurements. Moreover, all ranges disclosedherein are to be understood to encompass any and all sub-ranges subsumedtherein. For example, a range of “less than 10” can include any and allsub-ranges between (and including) the minimum value of zero and themaximum value of 10, that is, any and all sub-ranges having a minimumvalue of equal to or greater than zero and a maximum value of equal toor less than 10, e.g., 1 to 5. In certain cases, the numerical values asstated for the parameter can take on negative values. In this case, theexample value of range stated as “less than 10” can assume negativevalues, e.g. —1, −2, −3, −10, −20, −30, etc.

While the present teachings have been illustrated with respect to one ormore implementations, alterations and/or modifications can be made tothe illustrated examples without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that while theprocess is described as a series of acts or events, the presentteachings are not limited by the ordering of such acts or events. Someacts can occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other actsor events apart from those described herein. Also, not all processstages may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with oneor more aspects or implementations of the present teachings. It will beappreciated that structural components and/or processing stages can beadded or existing structural components and/or processing stages can beremoved or modified. Further, one or more of the acts depicted hereincan be carried out in one or more separate acts and/or phases.Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including,” “includes,”“having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof are used in either thedetailed description and the claims, such terms are intended to beinclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” The term “atleast one of” is used to mean one or more of the listed items can beselected. As used herein, the term “one or more of” with respect to alisting of items such as, for example, A and B, means A alone, B alone,or A and B. Further, in the discussion and claims herein, the term “on”used with respect to two materials, one “on” the other, means at leastsome contact between the materials, while “over” means the materials arein proximity, but possibly with one or more additional interveningmaterials such that contact is possible but not required. Neither “on”nor “over” implies any directionality as used herein. The term“conformal” describes a coating material in which angles of theunderlying material are preserved by the conformal material. The term“about” indicates that the value listed can be somewhat altered, as longas the alteration does not result in nonconformance of the process orstructure to the illustrated implementation. Finally, “exemplary”indicates the description is used as an example, rather than implyingthat it is an ideal. Other implementations of the present teachings willbe apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of thespecification and practice of the disclosure herein. It is intended thatthe specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with atrue scope and spirit of the present teachings being indicated by thefollowing claims.

Terms of relative position as used in this application are defined basedon a plane parallel to the conventional plane or working surface of aworkpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. The term“horizontal” or “lateral” as used in this application is defined as aplane parallel to the conventional plane or working surface of aworkpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. The term“vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal. Termssuch as “on,” “side” (as in “sidewall”), “higher,” “lower,” “over,”“top,” and “under” are defined with respect to the conventional plane orworking surface being on the top surface of the workpiece, regardless ofthe orientation of the workpiece.

1. A container assembly, comprising: a housing defining a stowagecompartment therein; a barrier configured to be coupled to the housing,wherein the barrier is configured to move between a first position and asecond position; and an indicator configured to actuate from a firststate to a second state in response to the barrier moving from the firstposition to the second position, wherein the indicator is configured toremain in the second state, regardless of whether the barrier is in thefirst position or the second position, until the indicator is reset fromthe second state to the first state.
 2. The container assembly of claim1, wherein the first position comprises a closed position that does notpermit access to the stowage compartment, and wherein the secondposition comprises an open position that permits access to the stowagecompartment.
 3. The container assembly of claim 1, further comprising ajoint that couples the barrier to the housing, wherein the joint allowsthe barrier to move between the first position and the second position.4. The container assembly of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises: afront panel having a window therein; a back panel; and a slot definedbetween the front panel and the back panel.
 5. The container assembly ofclaim 4, wherein the back panel is visible through the window when theindicator is in the first state.
 6. The container assembly of claim 4,wherein the indicator is not visible through the window when theindicator is in the first state.
 7. The container assembly of claim 4,further comprising a retainer configured to hold the indicator in thefirst state, wherein the retainer is configured to release the indicatorin response to the barrier moving from the first position to the secondposition, such that the indicator actuates into the second state, andwherein the indicator is at least partially visible through the windowwhen the indicator is in the second state.
 8. The container assembly ofclaim 7, wherein the retainer is configured to hold the indicator in thefirst state using a magnetic force.
 9. The container assembly of claim4, wherein the slot comprises a slot segment that prevents the indicatorfrom inadvertently actuating from the second state back to the firststate when the barrier is moved from the second position back to thefirst position with greater than a predetermined force.
 10. Thecontainer assembly of claim 9, wherein the indicator moves into the slotsegment and then back into the window when the barrier is moved from thesecond position back to the first position with greater than thepredetermined force.
 11. A container assembly, comprising: a housingdefining a stowage compartment therein; a barrier configured to becoupled to the housing, wherein the barrier is configured to movebetween a first position and a second position; and an indicatorassembly configured to actuate from a first state to a second state inresponse to the barrier moving from the first position to the secondposition, wherein the indicator assembly is not visible when theindicator assembly is in the first state, and wherein the indicatorassembly is at least partially visible when the indicator assembly is inthe second state.
 12. The container assembly of claim 11, wherein thefirst position comprises a closed position that does not permit accessto the stowage compartment, and wherein the second position comprises anopen position that permits access to the stowage compartment.
 13. Thecontainer assembly of claim 11, further comprising a joint that couplesthe barrier to the housing, wherein the joint allows the barrier to movebetween the first position and the second position.
 14. The containerassembly of claim 11, wherein the indicator assembly is configured toremain in the second state, regardless of whether the barrier is in thefirst position or the second position, until the indicator assembly isreset from the second state to the first state.
 15. The containerassembly of claim 11, wherein the indicator assembly comprises: anindicator comprising a body and an arm extending from the body; and apost that is coupled to or integral with the housing.
 16. The containerassembly of claim 15, wherein the body hangs from the post by the armwhen the indicator assembly is in the first state.
 17. The containerassembly of claim 16, wherein the arm slides off of the post, therebycausing the indicator to move downward from the first state to thesecond state, in response to the barrier moving from the first positionto the second position.
 18. The container assembly of claim 17, whereinthe barrier comprises: a front panel having a window therein; a backpanel; and a slot defined between the front panel and the back panel,wherein the indicator is positioned within the slot.
 19. The containerassembly of claim 18, wherein the back panel is visible through thewindow when the indicator is in the first state.
 20. The containerassembly of claim 18, wherein the indicator comprises a magneticmaterial.